Reach your greatest potential by answering this one question
The wisdom in the way the question was phrased was that it released me from answering based on what was within my reach. The beauty of the question was that it addressed my heart and soul. The question gave me freedom and safety to speak truthfully. The question asked me to be limitless.
“What would you do if you COULD NOT fail?”
In January 2016, I was taking Sonia Ricotti’s Unsinkable course when she asked that question in a lesson called “Step Into Your Greatness.”
I didn’t want to answer it at first because it sounded like a trick question. Because of course there would be challenges and setbacks and really dark moments...it’s LIFE, right? And following your dreams does NOT make the roller coaster ride of life any smoother.
But...the wisdom in the way the question was phrased was that it released me from answering based on what was within my reach. The beauty of the question was that it addressed my heart and soul. The question gave me freedom and safety to speak truthfully. The question asked me to be limitless.
The question asked me to be limitless…
So I answered. The first few times, what came up was aspirational but still superficial. I answered with labels and milestones: I would be a best-selling author, I would be a world-renown speaker, I would be a billion-dollar brand...blah blah blah.
Then Sonia asked the question one final time: “What would you do if you could not fail?” She asked us not to think but to respond. I finally shut out the logical and egotistical voices and asked Kristin, at her core, what she would do. What would I do if nothing could possibly stop me? The answer was shocking:
I would heal the world.
At first I cried because my answer resonated so strongly. Then I laughed because it seemed so ridiculous. Then I panicked because to follow this path would require me to grow waaaaay past my comfort zone and fail in a major way. Total crazy pants situation.
How the heck was that going to happen? And what did “heal the world” even mean? Did I have to become a doctor or a missionary now? What am I supposed to do with this answer???
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Then that wise voice broke through again and encouraged me to just sit with my soul-shaking response.
It asked me to welcome in Ms. Heal the World as I would welcome a guest to my home—make her comfortable and reserve any judgments until I got to know her. See if I wanted to continue the friendship and welcome her into my life. I didn’t have to do anything right away or commit myself to a decision. Just be open.
So I gave myself permission to see my incredibly audacious Heal the World answer as a curious new friend, and allowed myself the freedom to imagine how this could play out.
Eventually, some answers bubbled up that addressed the “how” of my desire to Heal the World. Like:
Continuing on my journey of self-discovery so that I could be my best self in order to help others one day.
Listening and being there for the people I care about because I could make a difference in someone’s life right now.
Getting good at catching negative self-talk and choosing supportive talk instead.
Uncovering the limiting beliefs I was hanging onto because they were “comfortable” but keeping me from the life I wanted.
Each choice and each step I made toward the concept of healing the world made that idea more comfortable, and more importantly, possible in my mind.
That tiny shift in allowing my soul’s desire to be possible started the ball rolling. Instead of pushing away my “crazy” idea, I gave it the freedom to stay, play, and grow. It wasn’t a physical action, it was a mental one. And incredibly powerful.
Any change you want for yourself requires you to think about things differently than you have before. Change starts with you, from within, and begins with a mental choice.
I lovingly challenge you to CHOOSE to allow yourself TO BE LIMITLESS.
Don’t ask HOW right now. Ask WHAT.
What would YOU do if you could not fail?
Declare your answer in the comments and share your reaction to seeing it written out.
I’d love to support you!
Living Your Purpose: An interview on what it's all about
Purpose: What it means, how to find it, and how to use it for a life you love.
It’s not a light and frothy topic. But it’s an important and impactful one. And by the end of this video interview, you’ll have information you can use right away.
It's not a hot topic you bring up over dinner with friends. And I wouldn't recommend it as a conversation starter with someone you just met.
What am I talking about?
Living your Purpose
What it means, how to find it, and how to use it for a life you love
See what I mean? Not a light and fluffy topic!
When personal development coach, Conny Lee, asked to interview me about this for her show, I had to say yes...because I had a lot to say on the matter. Few people talk about Purpose—I mean, really talk about it—and SO many struggle with it.
Why was I eager to demystify Purpose? Because I've been there. For most of my life, I struggled to find my purpose, wondering if I was ever going to discover what I wanted out of life and what I was meant to do.
I understand the confusion, the frustration, and the heartache of not knowing your purpose or how to go about finding it. Your confidence suffers, you end up doubting your abilities, and you question if those dreams you have are even possible.
Conny and I cover a lot of territory in our 23-minute interview. By the end of it, you'll have some tangible tidbits you can start putting into action toward living a more purposeful, fulfilled life. {Scroll down for the video.}
Here’s a preview of interview highlights and at what point in the video they come up:
My journey
(37 seconds in)
Why I went on a journey of self-exploration
What I did to “figure myself out” and the transformation that resulted
The reason behind my book Meant for More
what "Purpose" and "Calling" Are all about
(at 5:39)
How to take the scariness away from those terms
How purpose is like a coloring book
The benefits of knowing your purpose
“I have no idea what I’m here to do!” How to go about finding your purpose
(at 7:26)
The pre-work and why it matters
How NOT to end up chasing the wrong thing
My purpose statement that, at first, made me think I was crazy!
Tips for creating your own Powerful Purpose Statement
the wisdom I wish I could share with my 10-year-old self
(at 16:27)
Advice for those struggling to figure out what they want
(at 17:36)
The "reset button" That turns down the noise of our thoughts and the world around us
(at 18:49)
the #1 secret to achieving your dreams that you must hear!
(at 20:12)
Details of my free gift to you
(At 23:04)
The Stress Less Guide: 4 Steps to Take Back Control of Your Life. Get the free gift here.
What's one thing from the interview that was useful to you? Let me know in the comments below!
What does having a purpose mean and why does it matter?
What does purpose really mean and why does it matter? Is it relevant to real life or just the high-minded daydreams of magical thinkers and positive psychology enthusiasts?
In this short video,
Photo by Jamie Templeton on Unsplash
If you've ever googled "how to live a fulfilling life" or "finding happiness," you've probably run into this word over and over again: Purpose.
Some people swap “purpose” for “calling,” while others have strong opinions about keeping those two terms separate.
What personal development junkies do agree on is that you’re supposed to have a purpose, know your purpose, and live it every day. Basically...
No purpose = no fulfillment.
No pressure, right? 🙄
But what does having a purpose really mean, anyway, and why does it matter?
Does it apply to real life or just the high-minded daydreams of magical thinkers and positive psychology enthusiasts?
In this short video, I give my take on the definition of purpose and how having it can help us in life.
Interview with Kristin Rath and Conny Lee, host of The Balanced Parent Show. June 2018.
What does "purpose" mean to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!